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George Denson (abt. 1825 - bef. 1900)

George Denson
Born about in North Carolina, United Statesmap [uncertain]
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married about 1848 in Alabamamap [uncertain]
Husband of — married 26 Oct 1876 in Russell, Alabama, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Father of
Died before before about age 75 in Russell, Alabama, United Statesmap [uncertain]
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Profile last modified | Created 5 Feb 2024
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Biography

The two known federal censuses on which George Denson makes an appearance indicate that he was either born about 1925 in North Carolina or about 1932 in Alabama.[1][2]

From that, we can infer that he was born around roughly 1930, and as he enters the records in Alabama in 1870, it seems likely that he previously lived somewhere else, so North Carolina seems like a likelier place of birth.

In the 1870 census, which lists George as 45-yeards-old and Black, he is living in Glennville, Russell, Alabama, with his wife and children. He is working as a farm laborer, and unable to read or write. His wife, Clara, is listed as sharing all the same demographic details in the census, with the exception of being female.[3]

Their kids, most of whom also worked in agriculture and remained in Alabama, were listed as:

  • Mary Etta (Denson) Screws (abt.1850-abt.1920), ~1849-1920.
  • David, ~1851-?
  • Robert "Bob", ~1863-1926.
  • Priscilla, married name Peters, 1865-?
  • Chaney (or Chancy, female), married name possibly Dirden, ~1867-?
  • Anderson, ~1870-?
  • Georgia 'Flue', married names Everett and then Glenn, ~1875-?
  • Daniel "Dan", who may have gone by "Gardner" in childhood, ~1875-bef. 1940.[4][5]

Gardner Denson, who shows up in the 1880 census as having been born around 1875, may have been an additional child of George and Clara, who seem to have separated at some point, or on-and-off, during the early-mid 1870s, culminating with George's marriage to Rachael Screws, nee Cooksey, on October 26, 1876, after which point George and Clara maintained separate households.[6][7][8][9]

Gardener was living with Clara in 1880. All of Clara and George's children still leaving at home appear to have lived with Clara following the break-up.[10][11]

As a result of the split and George's re-marriage, it is difficult to assess the situation of some of the other Denson children listed as living with George and "Rachel" [Rachael] in the 1880 census, especially given the estimated and inconsistent birth dates.[12]

However, two of the children living the George and Rachael Denson in 1880, listed as Will and Ann Denson, were Rachael's children were ex-husband Prince Screws, whom she seems to have left prior to the 1870 census.[13][14] They were:

  • Will Screws, ~1872-1842.[15][16]
  • Anna(h) Screws, married names Lattimore and then Evans, ~1871-aft. 1910.[17][18]

One of the children listed seems to be the biological child of George and Rachael, born shortly before or after their marriage:

As Rachael was approximately forty years old at the time of John's birth, he seems to have been her last child.[21][22]

Two of the other children listed remain something of a mystery:

  • Babe Denson (female), ~1868-?[23]
  • Nancy Denson, ~1872-?[24]

As Chaney/Chancy Denson was living with her mother Clara in 1880, she does not seem to be a match for either one.[25][26][27] I suspect they were both children Rachael had with her ex-husband, Prince Screws:

  • "Babe" was very likely Louisa Screws, married name Morris, ~1869-1923.[28][29][30]
  • Nancy Denson was probably born Nancy Screws, but this remains unconfirmed.[31][32]

George's legal wedding ceremony with Rachael Cooksey took place in Russell, Alabama.[33] The 1880 census indicates that she was about a decade younger than he was, and that Rachael's elderly mother, Sharlet Cooksey, was also living with them. Additionally, George is listed as a farmer living in Seale, Russell, Alabama.[34]

As mentioned above, George and Rachael had both recently broken up with their (probably common law) spouses. Adding to the confusion, George and Clara's eldest daughter, Mary Etta, subsequently married and had a large family with Rachael's ex-husband, Prince Screws.[35]

As Rachael was living with her daugher Anna(h) (Screws) Evans's family in the 1900 census, and George does not surface again in the record, it is safe to assume that he died in the Russell County, Alabama region prior to 1900 and before age 75, and perhaps prior to 1890.[36][37]

Sources

  1. ↑ George Denino [Denson] in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  2. ↑ George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  3. ↑ George Denino [Denson] in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  4. ↑ Entry for George Denino [Denson] in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  5. ↑ Entry for Chaney Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  6. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  7. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  8. ↑ Entry for Chaney Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  9. ↑ Marriage record of Rachel Cooksey and George Denson, Russell, Alabama, 26 Oct 1876, in the Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967.
  10. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  11. ↑ Entry for Chaney Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  12. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  13. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  14. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  15. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  16. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  17. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  18. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  19. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  20. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  21. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  22. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  23. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  24. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  25. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  26. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  27. ↑ Entry for Chaney Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  28. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  29. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  30. ↑ Death Entry for Louisa Marris [Morris] in the Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974.
  31. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  32. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  33. ↑ Marriage record of Rachel Cooksey and George Denson, Russell, Alabama, 26 Oct 1876, in the Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967.
  34. ↑ Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  35. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  36. ↑ Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  37. ↑ Entry for Rachel Jenson [Denson] in the 1900 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Mary Denino [Mary Denson] in the in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  • Currently private Ancestry.com tree and associated research maintained by Kerry Ellard.
  • Entry for George Denino [Denson] in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for George Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Chaney Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  • Marriage record of Rachel Cooksey and George Denson, Russell, Alabama, 26 Oct 1876, in the Alabama, U.S., Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942.
  • Entry for Rachel Screws in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Rachel Denson in the 1880 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Rachel Screws in the 1870 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Rachel Jenson [Denson] in the 1900 United States Federal Census.
  • Entry for Rachel Denson in the 1910 United States Federal Census.
  • Marriage record of Rachel Cooksey and George Denson, Russell, Alabama, 26 Oct 1876, in the Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967.
  • Death Entry for Louisa Marris [Morris] in the Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974.




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